Nepal, Denmark, Mexico: Resilience to crop pests and disease in a changing climate
Lead Research Organisation:
John Innes Centre
Department Name: Crop Genetics
Abstract
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Organisations
- John Innes Centre (Lead Research Organisation)
- Aarhus University (Collaboration, Project Partner)
- Agriculture and Forestry University (Collaboration, Project Partner)
- International Centre for Maize and Wheat Improvement (CIMMYT) (Collaboration)
- UNIVERSITY OF EAST ANGLIA (Collaboration)
- Rothamsted Research (Project Partner)
- CIMMYT (Int Maize & Weat Improvt Ctr) (Project Partner)
- University of East Anglia (Project Partner)
| Description | The project aimed to strengthen and develop new links between the partners through a series of visits, workshops, training sessions and exchanges. The planned objectives have been achieved within the expected timescale. Whilst these objectives have been achieved as the project draws to a close, measurable impacts are only just beginning to be realised. We summarise briefly these activities and comment on the potential impacts subsequent to the grant. Training sessions in MARPLE diagnostics were conducted in Nepal, reaching a target audience of about 25 people. This raised awareness of yellow rust in Nepal, and the importance of monitoring its spread and the appearance of new races. Yellow rust has been very prevalent in recent years in Nepal but low in other countries. Probable reasons are that there has been a lot of rain and also that the farmers grow old susceptible varieties in Nepal. The seed companies that have newer varieties are not actively promoting new varieties in the hilly regions of Nepal. Whilst UK scientists already had contacts in Nepal, this training extended the reach to new audiences. Although the original MARPLE diagnostics methodology was for diagnosing strains of the yellow rust pathogen, we also established capacity for the new stem rust MARPLE diagnostics system in Nepal. This was particularly important given the first report of the notorious Ug99 stem rust race in the region in 2023. Five exchanges took place with scientists visiting Nepal and Nepalese researchers coming to the UK. The topics centred around yellow rust monitoring, entomology and integrated pest management and the socioeconomic impacts of introducing new crop varieties. A recent exchange was when scientists from JIC and Rothamsted visited AFU in November 2024. There were presentations from ten of the AFU MSc and PhD students on their work using agroecological methods for insect pest management in Nepal. There were interactive tours of all facilities including biocontrol labs. The final day comprised workshops with two local farmer groups focused on mustard cultivation. The workshop was highly successful, and several areas for potential collaboration and development in the future were identified: training in statistics and experimental design, inclusion of biodiversity assessments and assessing impacts of biological and agroecological methods on the natural enemies of target crop pests as well as training in molecular approaches for identification of natural enemies and development of insect pest resistant crop cultivars. A senior scientist is currently visiting the UK on an extended visit for one month based at Rothamsted with a visit to JIC and several other organisations. The focus of the visit is on integrated pest management and sustainable agriculture with emphasis on cabbage stem flea beetle which is a particular pest in the UK. |
| Exploitation Route | Now that exchanges have taken place, scientists in both countries have a good understanding of the problems and opportunities in the different countries. Some positive signs of potential impacts are emerging from the project. The extended visits to Nepal undertaken by two MSc students from the UEA working on the socioeconomic aspects of crop improvement led to the development of a PhD project on Climate change and its effect on farming practises in India and Nepal. Climate forecasts combined with crop science insights will inform agronomic practises and the project could potentially include crop diseases. In addition to the PhD project at UEA, The Norwich Institute for Sustainable Development (NISD) is assembling a consortium for research and impact activities for building climate resilience in agriculture in South Asia. The consortium will combine climate modelling, crop science and economics in a transdisciplinary way. Partners include those involved in the Partnering grant including UEA, JIC, AFU and CIMMYT as well as others in India and potentially other South East Asian countries. A proof of concept of the research is currently being developed for South India: for Wayanad in Kerala and Mysore in Karnataka. A report will be available in June 2025. Potential funders of the consortium include charitable foundations and/or impact investors for sustainable agriculture. A formal research proposal will be ready in August 2025. |
| Sectors | Agriculture Food and Drink Education |
| Description | Making high-quality agricultural inputs available to smallholder farmers |
| Amount | £14,000 (GBP) |
| Organisation | University of East Anglia |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 07/2023 |
| End | 07/2024 |
| Description | Agriculture and Forestry University, Nepal |
| Organisation | Agriculture and Forestry University |
| Country | Nepal |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | We established this partnership as part of our BBSRC IPA International Partnering Award, were we have conducted visits and hosted workshops to explore joint areas of scientific interest that lead to new collaborative projects. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Our partner has visited JIC and joined a workshop we led in Nepal. |
| Impact | This partnership has supported knowledge exchange and capacity building of project partners, particularly in the latest molecular plant disease diagnostic methodology. |
| Start Year | 2021 |
| Description | First partnership meeting - Aarhus University |
| Organisation | Aarhus University |
| Country | Denmark |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | We contributed knowledege of crop pests and diseases |
| Collaborator Contribution | Aarhus contributed knowledge of cereal rusts worldwide |
| Impact | A joint training workshop was organised with the Aarhus team in Nepal |
| Start Year | 2022 |
| Description | First partnership meeting - CIMMYT |
| Organisation | International Centre for Maize and Wheat Improvement (CIMMYT) |
| Country | Mexico |
| Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
| PI Contribution | We contributed knowledege of crop diseases |
| Collaborator Contribution | CIMMYT contributed knowledge of crop diseases and breeding |
| Impact | CIMMTY were involved in a joint training workshop in Kathmandu |
| Start Year | 2022 |
| Description | First partnership meeting-AFU Nepal |
| Organisation | Agriculture and Forestry University |
| Country | Nepal |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | We contributed knowledege of crop pests and diseases |
| Collaborator Contribution | AFU contributed knowledge of socioeconomic studies and of crop pests in Nepal |
| Impact | AFU contributed to supporting the research of two MSc students from UEA |
| Start Year | 2022 |
| Description | First partnership meeting-UEA |
| Organisation | University of East Anglia |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | We contributed knowledge of pests and diseases. |
| Collaborator Contribution | UEA contributed socio-economic and climate change expertise |
| Impact | MSc projects have been initiated |
| Start Year | 2022 |
| Description | Agroecological practises for sustainable pest management |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Undergraduate students |
| Results and Impact | We attended a three-day workshop at AFU together with c. 10 staff and 25 students from AFU. UK delegates gave 'keynote' presentation lectures with the aim to train students on our topic areas. We heard presentations from ten of the AFU MSc and PhD students on their work using agroecological methods for insect pest management in Nepal. Each presentation was followed by a question-and-answer session with detailed feedback. We had interactive tours of all facilities including biocontrol labs. The final day comprised workshops with two local farmer groups focused on mustard cultivation. We visited the two regions with contrasting levels of intensification of mustard cultivation. We discussed management and problems encountered by each farmers group and the AFU students worked together with Charlotte (UK PhD student) to run a questionnaire on farmers attitudes to regenerative agriculture. At each site various trapping methods were used to assess pest insects and natural enemies in the field. The workshop was highly successful, and we have identified several areas for potential collaboration and development in the future -i.e. training in statistics and experimental design, inclusion of biodiversity assessments and assessing impacts of biological and agroecological methods on the natural enemies of target crop pests as well as training in molecular approaches for identification of natural enemies and development of insect pest resistant crop cultivars. These will be followed up during the visit of Prof Tiwari to UK in March 2025. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| Description | Entomology research in UK and Nepal |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Undergraduate students |
| Results and Impact | In this online workshop, staff and students from the Agriculture and Forestry University (AFU) engaged with staff and students from the John Innes Centre and Rothamsted Research to discuss approaches to Entomology Research in the UK and Nepal. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| Description | MARPLE training workshop - Kathmandu |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | A training workshop in the use of MARPLE diagnostics for monitoring yellow rust populations was heled at the Nepal Agricultural Research Council in Kathmandu, Nepal |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
| Description | Visit of Nepali scientist to the John Innes Centre |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Study participants or study members |
| Results and Impact | We hosted scientists Dr. Sundar Tiwari, Associate professor of Entomology and Dr Shiva Chandra Dhakal, Director, Directorate of Planning from the Agriculture and Forestry University in Nepal. The visitors met with specialists in crop pests and diseases at JIC and with socioeconomic scientists at the University of East Anglia. They also visited a seed production company and went to Rothamsted Research to meet with entomolgists |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
| Description | Workshop on germplasm evaluation |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Presentation at a workshop on "Enhancing Wheat Disease Early Warning Systems, Germplasm Evaluation, Selection and Tools for Improving Wheat Breeding Pipelines" |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |